Can carrier



Mam}! 1956 P. A. TOENSMEIER CAN CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1955 FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS F1184 March 2, 1955 m 1956 P. A. TOENSMEIER 2,737,326

CAN CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

United States Patent CAN CARRIER ;'Patrick A. Toensmeier, Hamden, Conn., assignor'to The New Haven Board & Carton Company, New Haven, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application March 2 1955, Serial No. 491,604

12 Claims. (.Cl. 224-.-'45) This inventionrelates to carriers for aplurality of cans and is concerned more particularly with a novel carrier .for cans of the type having a chime and,a cone top extending .upward from the chime and terminating in a ,neck closed bya cap. The newcarrier is formed from a single .blank of paperboard and is constructed to grip the cans beneath their'caps .and, atthe same t me, to interlock with the chimes of .the cans, so that the cans are .firmly held. The carrier is-of simple construction and requ ire s:.a relatively small amount of'board and the cans can be quickly placed in it and removed from it.

For a better-understanding of the invention, reference .may be made totheaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. .1 is a view in perspective of .one form tofthe new carrier; I

Fig. 2 is a plan:view .of the blank employed informing .the .carrier of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-.-.3 of Fig. .1; Fig. '4-is.a view in perspective of another :form of the new carrier;

.Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank employed in forming the-carrier-of Fig. 4 and Fig.-.6.is atransverse sectional viewof .a modified form "of the carrierof Fig. 4.

The carrier of Fig. l is constructed .tocarry six cans 10, each of .which has. a cylindrical body 11- and a cone top 12 connected to thebody by a seam formingan upstanding chime 13. The cone .top terminates ina neck closed by-a cap 14, which isshown .as of .thecrown .type

.heldirrplace by crimping. .Such a cap hasafiuted lower .edge, which projectsoutwardly .and .forms a .shoulder.

and is:- mac le up of agroupof sectionsor panels as follows. :Panels 19a, 19b -.connected .together along the central .crease line .are rplies of the .handle, and, .in the .erected .carrier,-the panels lie.face to face. Each-panel isformfid with a pair of tabs 20 lying in openings-through the panel andywhen the panels lie face ,to face, the tabs thereinlie in registry, so that the tabs=on one panel can be pushed rthgough the openings.through-the other panel to displace .the tabs therein. Thepairs of tabsmayzthen be turned .npwardly against the face of thesecond panel to provide finger openings through the handle '16. Theutabs pro- -.vide smooth surfaces atthe tops of thefinger openings -.and-help-to maintain-the pliesof the handle-sin tightcontact.

The panels 21a, 21b vlying soutwardly from .panels 19a, 19b, respectively, and connected thereto by crease vlines .22 are upper top .walls of the carrier and each panel ,21a,.2 1b has arowof three openings .23, through which the necks of .cans may .be passed. .The.diam'eter. of,each

opening is less than the diameter of the {lower fluted edge of a an an d n a e thatthet aps' may hara through the openings when placing the bottles in the The carrier is formed from passed freely therethrough. 32a,.32b are connected to panels 29a, 2%, respectively, by crease lines 33 and areofthe same width as wallpanels See carrier, the wall of each opening is formed with ,agroup of radial cuts 23a. Adjacent cutsdefine tongues, which are flexible and may be sprung asideto permit a .cap to pass through the opening, after which the tongues snap back into place beneath the fluted edge of the cap.

Outer vertical wall panels 24a, 24b are connected to panels 21a, 21b, respectively, by creaselines 25. .The panels 24a, 24b,have a width equal to or slightly greater than the vertical distance between a plane through -the fluted edge of a cap and a similar planethrough .theinner bottom edge of the chime of the can.

.Outer inclined wall panels 26a, '26b.,are .connected v.to panels 24a, 24b, respectively, by crease .lines 27. Each inclined wall panelhas a width approximately equal to the distance in a plane containing the axis .of a canfrom the i fluted edge of the can cap to the inner bottom edge .of the can chime. The vertical wall panels 24a, Mband the inclined wall panels26a, 2612 connected thereto have cut-out openings 28 extending across the line .27. The

openings 28 are in pairs and eachopening has .a length equal to orslightly greater thanabouttwice .the height of the chime of a can. I

.Lower top wall panels 29a, 291: .are connected to panels 26a, 26b by crease lines 3.0-and .eachof the lower top wall panels has a row of three openings .31, which are .sufliciently large to permit the cap on a can to .be Inner inclined wall panels The panels 34a, 34b forming inner plies-of the handle are .connected to panels 3241,3212 by creaselines 35;and have a widthequal to or slightly-greater than the width of a handle panel 19a or 1% plus the "vertical distance between a plane through the fluted-edge of acap iandla similar plane through theinner bottom edge of thechime of a can. Panels 34a, 34b have openings-36, which-are large enoughto permit the'pairs of tabs 2.0 on-thehandle plies 19a, 19b to be passed freely therethrough. -The panels 32a, 62b and panels 34a, 34b havezcut-outs .37,

which extend across crease lines 35 and are long-enough toreceive the-chime of a can. Cut-outs i37.are arranged ingpairs.

In erecting the blank to form the carrier, the blank is I folded along the creaselinelS, so that the panelslfla, 19.11

are brought face to face. The two partsiofithe blankat opposite sides of the central crease line 18 arethenfolded outwardly away from each other along the crease zlines 22,.so that these parts'of-theblank lie at right .anglesito the handle panels 19a, 19b. Thetwo parts of ,the 'ablank are next folded on the crease lines 25,.so'thatqthe-outer vertical wall panels 24a, 24b lie at :right :angles to the upper top wall panels 21a, 21b -and parallel -,to each other. The-outer end portions -of the blankarefolded toward each other on crease lines 27 andfoldedin the opposite direction on crease lines 30. The lowertop walls 29a, 2% are brought into contact with the under surfaces of the upper top walls 21a, 21b and-openings .31 are brought into registry with openings 23. The outer portions of the blank are next foldedoncrease vlines 153 and 35 and'the innerhandle panels 34a, 34b arezinserted into the space between panels 19a,19b. The .-,tabs :20 on one panel 19a, 19b maybe pushedthrough .the openings'in the otherpanel, the tabs passingithrough opening ,36 in panels 34a, 34b in such movement.

The cans may now be mounted-in thecarrier bypassing their caps upwardly through openings 31 .in the lower top walls and through .thecorresponding openings 23 in the upper top walls. vAs the cans are thusm oved .into place, the chimes enter .the .recesses in .the lower edges of the pairsto'fwalls 24a,.26a.and2411,26bi0rfi1d by the openings 28, which extend across the crease'lines 27 between the wallsiof each pair. The chimes also enter-the recesses formed in the lower edges of thepairs of walls 32a, 34a and 32b, 34b formed by the openings 37,

which extend. across the crease lines 35 between the walls of each pair. When the chime of a can enters adjacent recesses across one of the crease lines 27 or 35, parts of ithe crease line lie on opposite sides of the chime and are interlocked with the chime so that the chimes of the .cans hold the vertical walls 24a, 24b and 34a, 34b from being displaced away from the can axes. At the same time, the inner and outer inclined walls a, 26b and 32a, 32b extending from the opposite edges of the bottom top walls to the bases of the chimes act as braces to prevent sagging of the top walls when the carrier is lifted and the weight of the cans is applied to the upper top. walls through the can capsJ When the carrier is 'filled,.the upper chimes of corresponding cans in the two 'by the hand. The blank 39 employed in forming the carrier 38 comprises an upper top panel Wall 40 having a glue flap 41 secured along one edge and separated therefrom by a crease line 42. Panel 40 is formed with three openings 43, which are of sufficient diameter to permit insertion of the neck of a can but of less diameter than that of the fluted end of the cap of a can. The wall of each opening is formed with radial cuts 43a defining flexible tongues, which may be sprung aside to permit passage of the cap on a can. At the side opposite that along which the glue flap 41 extends, panel 40 -is connected to a vertical wall panel 44 by a crease line 45 and panel 44 is connected along a crease line 46 to an inclined wall panel 47. Panels 44 and 47 are provided with pairs of openings 48 extending across the crease line 46 and adapted to form recesses in the erected carrier for receiving the chimes of cans.

The inclined wall panel 47 is connected by a crease line 49 to a lower top wall panel 50 having three openings 51, which are sufiiciently large to permit the free passage of the cap of a can therethrough. Panel 50 is connected along a crease line 52 to an inclined wall panel 53, which is in turn connected along a crease line 54 toa vertical wall panel 55. Panels 53 and 55 are provided with pairs of openings 56 extending across crease line 54 and adapted to form recesses in the erected carrier for receiving the chimes of cans. The inclined wall panels 47, 53 have a width approximately equal to the distance in a plane containing the axis of a can from the fluted edge of the can cap to the inner bottom edge of the can chime. 1

--In converting the blank 39 into the carrier 38, the panels of the blank are folded along the crease lines, so that the vertical wall panels 44 and 55 lie at right angles to the top wall panels 40 and 50 and the two top wall panels lie in contact with openings 51 registering with openings 43. The glue flap 41 is then folded at right angles to upper top wall panel 40 and secured by adhesive to the inner surface of the vertical wall panel 55. If preferred, the glue flap 41 may be secured to the inner surface of the vertical wall panel 55 as the first step, after which the blank may be folded along the crease lines, as described. The necks of three cans are then passed through aligned openings 51 and 43 with the caps displacing the tongues defined by cuts 43a and forming the walls of openings 43. When the caps have passed through openings 43, the tongues spring-back beneath :the lower edges of the caps and the cans are then held in place in the carrier. As the cans are being inserted,

which the inclined and vertical walls are joined. The chimes thus lock the vertical walls and inclined walls in position and the inclined walls become effective as braces to hold the bottom top wall panel against the upper top wall panel and prevent the top wall panels from sagging when the carrier is lifted and the weight of the cans is imposed on the panels.

In the carrier shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the vertical wall panels 44 and have a width approximately equal to the distance vbetween planes through the fluted edge of the cap of a can and through the inner bottom edge of a chime of a can but, if desired, panels 44 and 55 may be made slightly wider with the advantageous results indicated in Fig. 6. In the carrier of Fig. 6, the vertical wall panels 44' and 55' are slightly wider than the distance between the planes described, while the width of the inclined wall panels 47 and 53 is approximately equal to the distance from the fluted edge of the cap to the inner bottom edge of a chime. When the caps of cans are inserted through the aligned openings through the upper and lower top walls of the carrier and the chimes enter the openings in the lower edges of the inclined and vertical wall panels, the extra width of the vertical wall panels causes the outer edges of the upper top wall panel 40' to spring up. When the loaded carrier is picked up, the weight of the cans causes the central areas of the upper and lower top wall panels to sag with the result that the lower edges of the inclined and vertical wall panels are more firmly wedged against the chimes and the cans are securely held.

The results obtained in the carrier of Fig. 4 by increasing the width of the vertical wall panels may also be obtained in the carrier of Fig. 1. In the latter case, the width of the outer vertical wall panels 24a, 24b is made slightly greater than the vertical distance between the planes through the fluted edge of the can cap and through the inner bottom edge of the can chime and the panels 34a, 34b, the lower parts of which serve as inner vertical walls, are given a width slightly greater than the distance between the planes mentioned plus the width of a handle panel 19a or 19b. When the carrier so made is loaded, the upper top wall panels 21a, 21b are sprung upwardly at their inner and outer edges in the manner of the wall panel 40' and the carrier is put under stress such that the cans are tightly gripped.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the new carrier can be made economically, since no board is wasted, and it is simple to erect and load. The cans are held securely in the carrier and substantially all of the cans except the cone tops are exposed. The printed labels on the cans are thus in full view and confusion in purchasing is avoided.

I claim:

1. A carrier for a plurality of cans in a row, each can having a. chime and a cone top extending upward therefrom and terminating in a neck closed by a cap, which comprises upper and lower top walls having registering openings receiving the necks of the cans with the openings in one wall normally of less diameter than the maximum diameter of the can caps, inclined walls secured to the opposite edges of the lower top wall and having a width substantially equal to the distance in a plane containing the axis of a can from the fluted edge of the can cap to the inner bottom edge of the can chime, and vertical walls connected to the lower edges of the respective inclined walls and extending to the opposite edges of the upper top wall, the inclined and vertical walls having recesses in their lower edges for receiving the chimes of the cans at diametrically spaced points. 7

2. The carrier of claim 1, in which each connected edge of an inclined and a vertical wall has a pair of recesses for receiving the chime of each can at two places relatively close together.

3. The carrier of claim 1, in which at least one of the @YW he,

vertical walls is connected to an edge of the upper top wall.

4. The carrier of claim 1, in which the walls of the openings, which are of less diameter than the maximum diameter of the caps, are cut radially to form tongues distortable to permit passage of the caps.

5. The carrier of claim 1, in which the upper top wall has openings normally of less diameter than the maximum diameter of the caps and the lower top wall has openings, through which the caps may pass freely.

6. The carrier of claim 1, in which the vertical walls are connected to the opposite edges of the upper top wall.

7. The carrier of claim 6, in which the vertical Walls have a width slightly greater than the vertical distance between planes through the fluted edge of the cap of a can and the inner bottom edge of the can chime.

8. A carrier for a plurality of cans in two parallel rows, each can having a chime and a cone top extending upward therefrom and terminating in a neck closed by a cap, which comprises a pair of upper top walls, each extending along a row of cans and having openings for the necks of the cans, a handle formed of a pair of reversely folded panels connected together at their outer edges and having their inner edges connected to the inner edges of the upper top walls, a pair of lower top walls having openings registering with those in respective upper top walls, the openings in one pair of top walls being normally of less diameter than the maximum diameter of the caps of the cans, inclined walls connected to the opposite edges of each lower top wall and having a width substantially equal to the distance in a plane containing the axis of a can from the fluted edge of a can cap to the inner bottom edge of the can chime, and vertical walls connected to the lower edges of the respective inclined walls, the connected edges of the inclined and vertical walls having recesses for receiving the chimes of the cans at diametrically spaced points and the outer vertical walls being connected to the outer edges of the upper top walls while the inner vertical walls extend upwardly between the panels of the handle.

9. The carrier of claim 8, in which each connected edge of an inclined and a vertical wall has a pair of recesses for receiving the chime of each can at two places relatively close together.

10. The carrier of claim 8, in which the walls of the openings, which are of less diameter than the maximum diameter of the caps, are cut radially to form tongues distortable to permit passage of the caps.

11. The carrier of claim 9, in which the upper top walls have the openings with radial tongues and the lower top walls have openings, through which the caps may pass freely.

12. The carrier of claim 8, in which the outer vertical walls have a width slightly greater than the vertical distance between planes through the fluted edge of the cap of a can and the inner bottom edge of the can chime and the inner vertical walls have a width slightly greater than said distance plus the width of a handle panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,330,699 Flamm Sept. 28, 1943 2,603,923 Chidsey, Jr July 22, 1952 2,680,038 Gray June 1, 1954 

